joelh

Thanks guys for the help. I will add a bit of weight to the follower rod, and clean the primer area this evening.

I have loaded about 500 rounds so far and am finding one or two times per 100 that I am not priming the cartridge. I try to look and see if a primer is in the holder, but I don't remember to look every time. Is this a technique problem on my part? It has happened with both small and large pistol primers.

Thanks guys. sometimes it is the smallest things... I was able to push the tip down about 1/16 and it worked fine. That would have saved me a couple of hours of frustration

just learning how to use a new to me 550b. The thing that I am most struggling with is using the primer pickup tube. I will get about 4 or 5 and they want to turn sideways, just as they ar going from the tip into the tube. I have had a few that filpped around and ended up in the magazine backward. This is happening with small primers using the yellow tip. I have a fresh yellow tip in my spare parts bag, and tired to but am having the same issue, When watching videos, it looks to be as easy as falling down but it is really frustrating me. What am I doing wrong?

Just bought a used 550b and discovered that the primer retaining pin had gotten lost during transit. Called Dillon with my card in hand to buy the replacement part and the cs rep wouldn't take my money. Part was sent out right away. Dillon had no obligation to send me that part for free but they didn't hesitate. Really impressive!

I may have found the culprit. There is supposed to be a primer stop under the little metal flap on the front of the primer system. It is missing. I am assuming that it puts some sort of tension on the primer magazine to prevent the primers from falling all of the way through. I will call dillon today to see about getting a replacement.

I just picked up a used 550 b. When I try to load the primers they just all the way through the magazine tube and end up lying on the primer bar or falling on the floor. I am using small pistol primers and the tip on the magazine is blue and appears to be for small primers. I do have another primer bar, but this was set up to load .40 so I'm guessing the small bar is in the press. Any help is much appreciated

I just started shooting idpa and am shooting a XDm 3.8 in the new CCP division. I'm shooting .40. 9 would be better but I have .40 so that's what I shoot. Shot my first match on Sunday. Didnt do really well but I ESS safe and learned a lot. Shot about 80 rounds. My understanding of USDPA is that the round count is much higher.

Thanks for the advise. I am going to shoot a local this weekend and I think I will shoot CCP with the xd. I did order Dawson sights for the kimber, so will probably gravitate to it. I do reload, so I can customize ammo for both guns

I just loaded a few of these bullets. Couldn't get them to fully seat at 1.25. Had to go to 1.21 to fully chamber. Barrel is stock kimber

I shot a little bit of idpa several years ago and would like to get back into it. I own a couple of guns that will work and would like to concentrate on one. I have a bone stock Kimber custom II .45. Love the gun but the sights aren't easy to pic up. I have a xdm .40 3.8. Bone stock but have 5 mags. I also have a s&w .38 4 inch barrel that I inherited from my dad, I am not a great shot with the revolver. I am a lefty and like the ergos of the xdm. If I progress in idps, I think I would like to try usdpa. Can any of these transition?

Thanks for all of the advise. I sold the SDB dies for the price difference between the two presses so will be ordering the 550b shortly. Unsure about the strong mount. May try it without it and add it later

Thanks for the explanation. .40 is a relatively new one for me. I had noticed on my resizing die that it stops about 1/16th inch from the bottom and there was no more adjustment to get it there. Loading both presses into the shopping cart, looks to be less than $100 difference between the square deal and the 550, including flip trays and extra pickup tubes.. I figure I can get $50 easy out of the square deal dies that I have, so it really is a bit of a no brainer. No looking to reload rifle, but who knows?

Currently reloading on a RCBS single stage. Why process .40 in a Ss?

Moving into my first progressive. Trying to decide between these. I will primarily load .40 &.45. I have Lee die sets for these as well as a few others. I have a square deal .40 conversation, so if I order it in .45 I'll be set. Shoot a bit of idpa, so 1k per month or so